Last week I, along with two of my ministry colleagues from Trinity Church, traveled to San Diego, California. We visited North Coast Church to learn about the effectiveness of sermon based-small groups. On Tuesday, Chris Mavity, Dave Enns, Chris Brown (not that one) and staff spent the entire day with us, giving us the skinny, the low down, and the 411 on the model they have been using for the last 27 years. I was very impressed with North Coast’s ministry simplicity, commitment to see people grow in their faith through relationships, the high value of collaboration, deployment of five hundred pastors (small group leaders) and 80% small group participation. Overall, we gleaned much from North Coast and were affirmed in what we are already doing. Here are a few of my learning and ramblings:

• The sermon-based small group model makes the most sense and is one of the most effective ways to help people develop in their walk with Jesus.
• The vision for sermon-based small groups has to be cast every week and in various ways to have maximum effectiveness.
• Drip the vision of sermon-based small groups into the culture of the church every chance you get.
• Sermon-based model limits groups going rogue.
• It’s surprising what people will let you do to them and where they will let you take them when you tell them ahead of time.
• As soon as you know what and how, communicate the plan clearly. Until you have clarity, don’t communicate the vision for sermon-based groups.
• Simplicity maximizes effectiveness.
• Sermon-based small groups has to be a high value of and championed by the leaders at the top of the organization.
• The experts are still learning and learning from us amateurs.
• If you are going to implement sermon-based small groups, fit it to the uniqueness of the culture of your ministry. There are no cookie cutter approaches.
• Collaboration in sermon preparation makes the sermon better. It helps you to pay your dumb tax before the weekend.
• Open your sermon preparation to staff and the following in your ministry: introverts, females, processors, experienced, extroverts, creators, youth and children leaders, and illustrators.
• Working ahead in sermon preparation on the front end removes the stress from the preacher and the homework writer on the back end.
• Because people are going to talk about the sermon, we might as well make it constructive with strategic and guided homework.
• We make training small group leaders more difficult than we should.
• Publish small groups so people can self-select.
• If sermon-based small groups are going to be effective, you have to commit to it for the long haul.

Does your church have small groups or community groups? if not, how does your church help people to grow and develop in the faith in Jesus? How do you think your church can maximize the weekend sermons? If your church is using the sermon-based model for small groups, what other lessons can you add?

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When Handel wrote the “Hallelujah Chorus,” his health and his fortunes had reached the lowest possible ebb. The right side had become paralyzed, and all his money was gone. He was heavily in debt and threatened with imprisonment. He was tempted to give up the fight. The odds seemed entirely too great. And it was then that he composed his greatest work – Messiah. We can say that Handel’s pain became his platform for ministry. Are you at your lowest moment? Do the odds seem entirely too great for you?

money gone?

ridiculed and criticized?

laid-off?

mounting debt?

failed relationships?

illness?

addiction?

uncertain future?

divorced?

dead-end job?

lonely?

overwhelming pressure on your job?

Are you tempted to give up the fight? Don’t quit! Don’t sulk! Because God is always doing something, cooperate with Him, even in pain. C. S. Lewis said that pain is God’s megaphone; he uses it to get our attention. This could be your moment – the moment where God uses pain to help you compose your greatest work – a symphony of your greatest music for others. Could it be that God is ready to compose Messiah in you so that others might be blessed through you! It is only when we:

Respond to our pain appropriately (count it all joy),

Understand the reasons for our pain clearly (the testing of your faith will develop patience and patience will lead to maturity and maturity will make us ready for anything that comes our way)

Rely on our Source, in the midst of our pain, absolutely (Ask God and He will give you wisdom to understand the reasons “why” or give you the strength when “whys” are not discernible).

that pain can truly become our platform for God’s greater purpose. Let your pain become your platform to listen to God, draw closer to God and to tell others about God.

Popularity: 18% [?]